2022 Speakers, Breakout Session Topics & Schedules

Keynote Speakers & Presentations

Steve Loehr
Vice President of Operations, Kwik Trip, Inc.

 

 

Kwik Trip is a family-owned Company founded in 1965. 
Don Zeitlow is Founder, Owner, and CEO.  Kwik Trip currently operates 810+ stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois and has 37,000+ coworkers.  Kwik Trip is a vertically integrated company with its own distribution center, trucking company, kitchens, bakery, and dairy and proudly shared 40% of its pre-tax profits with all coworkers.

Nicole Atchison
CEO, PURIS Holdings

Forty Years of Plant-Based
A family’s journey towards a sustainable food system
Nicole Atchison leads the ag-tech and food tech business units within PURIS’ portfolio of companies. PURIS is a leader in the sustainable food and ag movement, driving innovation across seed genetics, ingredient processing, plant-based food development, and product commercialization, all from U.S.-based organic and non-GMO sources. PURIS is the largest manufacturer of pea protein in North America with protein processing facilities in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

“Ask the Experts” Panel Thursday Dec 1st, 8 a.m. Presented by Alliant Energy, Baker Tilly, and C.D. Smith Construction

 

Join key leaders from the accounting, construction, and electric industries to hear what’s changing in their respective spheres and how it impacts food manufacturing.  Recent developments in building innovations, electric generation and use, and federal tax incentives for food processors will be covered.  MWFPA President Jason Culotta will emcee the panel.

Billy Molls
Modern Day Mountain Man Shares Adventure

billymollsadventures.com

Raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm, Billy Molls’ passion for the outdoors blossomed into a dream of living in the Alaskan wilderness. For the past 25 years Billy has guided big game hunters from around the globe and lived over eight years of his life in a tent in the wilderness. He has documented his adventures through the Modern Day Mountain Man DVD series. As an author and renowned storyteller, even non-hunters will be entertained, educated and inspired by riveting tales of airplane wrecks, grizzly encounters, and countless life changing experiences of this real-life “Modern Day Mountain Man”.

Wednesday november 30 breakout session details

Wednesday 9:30 a.m. Breakout Sessions

HUMAN RESOURCES

Leadership Reimagined
Joe Kiedinger, CEO, Prophit Co.
Timeless topics around leadership like accountability, engagement, and motivating employees must be re-evaluated. The old ways of leading are no longer effective. Joe has uncovered a key that connects people quickly… dignity. Giving people credit for exactly who they are, not who you want them to be. It means hiring people who are right for your company and the job because of their unique emotional drivers and putting them in a position to succeed from the outset.

Environment

PFAS Policy and Legal Update: The Evolving Regulation of
So-Called ‘Forever Chemicals’
Taylor Fritsch, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
In just a few short years, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become a key concern of regulators, environmental advocates, and consumer groups. This session will provide an update on regulatory developments and litigation relating to PFAS in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois and discuss what food processors should consider doing now to prepare for future regulatory developments.

Safety

The 4 Domains of Safety Leadership
Tim Kelly, Caterpillar Safety Services
Employees make choices every day that impact the safety of themselves and others. The most powerful influence on those choices is the leader, who must inspire safe behavior in employees through their consistent actions. After five years of research, Caterpillar statistically validated exactly what those actions are and how to measure them. To be an effective safety leader requires mastery of four core domains and fourteen elements. The most effective leaders create a strong culture of accountability; develop meaningful connectivity with those they lead; demonstrate credible safety consciousness; and build trust amongst their team. Participants will learn how to begin fostering and measuring these leadership behaviors personally and across their organization.

Food Safety

Best Practices for Effective Food Plant Sanitation
Michael Cramer, Saldesia
Topic in this session will include:

  • Why we clean: Our Motivation
  • Potential food manufacturing hazards
  • Sanitation Challenges
  • Sanitary Design
  • Sanitation Best Practices
  • Maintaining Sanitary Operational Conditions

“Ask the Experts” Panel Thursday December 1, 8 a.m.Presented by Alliant Energy, Baker Tilly, and C.D. Smith Construction

Coleman Peiffer

Alliant Energy

Cory Wendt

Baker Tilly

Holly Brenner

C.D. Smith

Wednesday 10:45 a.m. Breakout Sessions

HUMAN RESOURCES

Using Clear Communication to Inform and Engage Your Team
Stef Tschida, Tschida Communications
This workshop will help you: Identify your communication style, the style of key members of your team, and how they impact the way you work together; Communicate how the daily tasks of your team connect to the company’s overall goals; and create a team culture where employees truly feel comfortable raising issues, and where feedback and constructive conflict are a normal part of daily work life.

Environment

Sustainability Meets Governance: An Introduction to ESG and What it Means for Agribusiness
Carrie Byrnes and Taylor Fritsch, Michael Best
This session will give a general overview of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). The speakers will discuss how ESG impacts the agriculture and food processing community, highlight certain challenges and opportunities that may arise in the ESG journey, and provide insights as to how an agribusiness can assess, track and report on ESG efforts. 

Safety

OSHA LEP for Food Manufacturing: Identifying Critical Areas of Risk & How to Manage an Effective Safety Program
Tim Walsh – Brown & Brown
This session will review the Local Emphasis Program for the Food Manufacturing Industry and highlight areas of focus; provide steps to identify and methods to control risk; and provide strategies and tactics on how to manage an effective safety program that will send employees home safely and avoid OSHA liability.

Food Safety

Microbial Real Estate: Finding the Homes of Microorganisms
in your Facility
Kara Mikkelson – Hydrite
Microorganisms can easily find homes in equipment, floors, walls, and ceilings of your processing facility. It can be a tedious task to find and eliminate those accommodations. This session will discuss the tools and methods to locate and mitigate those domiciles. Case studies will be presented to help with real life examples.

Wednesday 1:45 p.m. Breakout Sessions

Federal Policy Update

Federal Update/AFVPGC Meeting
Denise Bode & Patrick Firth
Michael Best Strategies

Safety

Critical Incidents… Are You Prepared?
Chris Matson, Fearing’s
If an active shooter or tornado situation develops at your facility, are you prepared to ensure the orderly safety of those inside your building? Presenting an assessment scorecard of how you stack up in dealing with critical incidents. Addressed will be the areas of communication, building technology, HR concerns, policies in place and an outline for planning. Some of the latest in technology systems will be introduced, many tied to a cloud-based system. Keep your most precious asset safe… “your people”!

Food Safety

HACCP & Product Recall Crisis Response Planning:
Protecting Consumers & Brands
Zach Finn, Henriott
This session will cover the following critical questions: Are you using HACCP based programs to prevent a Crisis in the 1st place?  Does your Crisis Response Plan cover the right elements to allow your’ team to execute quickly and cohesively?  And Product Liability vs. Product Recall; what’s insurable and where?

Wednesday 3 p.m. Breakout Sessions

Safety

Local Emphasis Program (LEP) Update
Mary Bauer
OSHA

Food Safety

Food Safety Update
Joe Meyer
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP)

New Opportunities for Manufacturers: IRA & IIJA

Mark Bender
Godfrey & Kahn

New Event on Thursday Morning - Innovation Showcase at 10:30 am

new in ’22!

Please join us on Thursday in Africa Meeting Room 40 to the right of the Main Stage off the Convention Floor for information and a demonstration on new technologies available to food processors.

This event starts at 10:30 am with a panel highlighting sustainable ways of disposing of industrial wastewater and food waste, featuring three MWFPA associate members who specialize in this work. 

Following this discussion at 11:30 am will be a demonstration by Fairchild Equipment.  We hope you will join us on Thursday for the first year of the MWFPA Convention Innovation Showcase.